Easy Oven-Baked Tex Mex Lasagna
This Tex-Mex Lasagna is what happens when you can’t decide between a cheesy pasta bake and a big plate of tacos! It’s a hearty, “dish-it-up-and-go” kind of dinner made with seasoned ground beef, creamy refried beans, and thick layers of cheddar that bubble up perfectly over oven-ready noodles. You get all that deep, savory Southwest flavor in a single baking dish!
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Easy Oven-Baked Tex Mex Lasagna
- 🕐 Ready In: 1 hour
- 👥 Serves: 6 servings
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Ground beef, Taco seasoning, Beans, Green chilies, Salsa, Tomato sauce, Oven-ready lasagna noodles
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Easy and delicious, this Tex Mex Lasagna is a crowd pleaser!
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When a Casserole Dish Meets a Taco Bar
I’m a firm believer that almost any problem can be solved with a hot pan of lasagna, but sometimes the traditional Italian version feels like a whole day’s work. This recipe is my favorite way to cheat that system! We’re swapping out the slow-simmered marinara for chunky salsa and trading the ricotta for smooth refried beans, which sounds a little wild until you take that first bite.
The best part about this “Southwest makeover” is that it actually stays together better than a standard taco, so you can sit down and enjoy a proper meal without half your dinner falling into your lap. Since we’re using those handy oven-ready noodles, you don’t even have to wait for a pot of water to boil. You just stack it, bake it, and let the oven handle the heavy lifting while you catch your breath!
If you want another easy lasagna dish, check out my Crockpot Lasagna Soup recipe!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ground beef
- Small onion
- Taco seasoning
- Dried or fresh cilantro
- Whole corn kernels, drained
- Refried beans
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Black beans, drained
- Diced green chilies
- Salsa
- Tomato sauce
- Oven-ready lasagna noodles
Tips for the Perfect Tex-Mex Bake
- Since we aren’t pre-cooking the noodles, they need moisture to soften. Don’t be afraid if the meat mixture looks a little “saucy” before it goes in the pan. The pasta will soak all that flavor up while it bakes.
- Don’t worry about keeping the noodles perfectly whole. I often have to break a few pieces to make sure I’ve got good coverage in the corners of my 9×13 baking dish.
- It is so tempting to dive in the second that timer goes off, but giving it 5 to 10 minutes to sit helps the layers set, so you get those nice, clean slices.
- This is great on its own, but it really shines with a few toppings. A dollop of sour cream, some sliced green onions, or a squeeze of lime juice makes it feel like a fiesta makeover!
How to Make Tex-Mex Lasagna
1. Cook the Beef
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown your ground beef and chopped onion. Make sure to drain off any grease once the beef is no longer pink, so the lasagna doesn’t get oily.
2. Build the Sauce
Stir in the refried beans, green chilies, taco seasoning, cilantro, and half of your salsa. Add the tomato sauce and stir with a wooden spoon until it’s bubbly and well combined. This usually takes about 4–5 minutes.
3. Add the Bulk
Remove the skillet from the heat and fold in the drained corn and black beans. This meat mixture is what makes the lasagna so hearty!
4. Layer it Up
Spread the remaining salsa onto the bottom of your baking dish; this acts as a moisture barrier for the bottom layer of noodles. Lay down your first set of noodles, top with half of the filling from the skillet, and sprinkle with half the cheese. Repeat the layers one more time.
5. Bake to Perfection
Cover with aluminum foil if you want to keep the cheese extra melty, or leave it off for those crispy edges. Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes. You’re looking for bubbly edges and tender pasta.
Serve warm with a side of Creamy Cranberry Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip or flavorful Mexican Street Corn Pasta for a Tex-Mex feast!
Storage and Leftovers
If you have leftovers, they stay great in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, I just pop a slice in the oven or air fryer for a few minutes to keep that cheese nice and gooey.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 1.25-ounce packet taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried or fresh cilantro
- 1 15-ounce can whole corn kernels, drained
- 1 15-ounce can refried beans
- 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
- 1 4-ounce can diced green chilies
- 1 16-ounce jar salsa
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 9-ounce package oven-ready lasagna noodles
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown ground beef and onions until beef is no longer pink in the center. Drain off any grease.
- Add refried beans, chiles, taco seasoning, cilantro, 1/2 of the salsa, and tomato sauce. Stir and place over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until bubbly (about 4-5 minutes).
- Remove from heat and stir in corn and black beans.
- Spread the remaining salsa into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Top with a layer of lasagna noodles, breaking to fit if need be. Spread 1/2 of the filling from the skillet over the noodles. Top with half the cheese. Repeat.
- Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until bubbly and the pasta is tender. Allow to sit for five minutes before cutting. Enjoy!
I guess I should clarify, “party china”…aka paper plates! 🙂
~giggles~ I knew exactly what party china was! 😉
Christy, This looks so yummy! I can’t wait to try it. Practically every dish I make comes from a recipe in your book or you website.You are the first person I turn to when I’m making my meal plan each week. I’m so looking forward to getting my paws on that new cookbook when it comes out as well. Use those disposable dishes with pride, my friend! I use my “party china” when we have big family meals too….I would rather spend that extra time I save by not having to wash the dishes and use it hanging out my family, but that’s just my opinion. Happy New Year!
I just love you Kimberly! You made my day. Happy New Year to You!!!
Sooo glad you took a break and have come back with renewed energy. The recipe looks yummy, as soon as all the girls at work get over the new years diets I will take this in for lunch for the office, bet it will be a big hit!
Enjoy your little ones while they are little, plenty of time to write and everything else once they are grown and gone.
I bet your co-workers love you to pieces Beth! I know I sure would!!
We have a version of this quite frequently at my house. It’s a great way to use up the odds and ends of salsa jars that always seem to be in the fridge! I layer mine with corn tortillas, broken corn chips (if I don’t have tortillas) or even just cover the meat mixture with a layer of corn bread. Such a versatile filling and so tasty!
great ideas Lara, thanks for sharing!
It wouldn’t be a big family meal at our house without something disposable! I am all for making clean up easy. That dish does look delicious, Adding that one to ziplist!
I hope you enjoy it Robin!!
why do some recipes that use black beans instruct you to rinse them? I noticed yours doesn’t which seems easier….
thanks,
Angela
You’re right, most of the recipes that I use call to rinse and drain the black beans also. I usually suggest people do that because normally if you add black beans to something the juice that is in the can is very strong in flavor and if you don’t rinse them whatever you add it to and will end up tasting like black beans through and through. In this recipe though, there is so much flavor from other elements that just draining your black beans will be fine.
Making this tonight!! Leaving out the can of chiles and the black beans only because i refuse to go to the store for just a can of chiles and a can of black beans!! Also, had some leftover brown beans in the fridge so I’ll be using homemade refried beans that I’ll leave pretty chunky to make up for the missing black beans. I can’t wait to try this!! Hopefully turning on the oven will serve the purpose of making supper and warming the house up a bit….I’m cold!!!
It is cold here too Lacey!! Hope you enjoy the recipe and warm up soon!
I did get it made and it was awesome!!! Even The Boy (my 2 year old son) loved it. The hubby said that next time we should try it with tortillas instead of noodles. I’m just wondering if they should be corn tortillas or flour tortillas. Either way, a definite keeper her in this house!!! Keep the good ones coming, I’m all for new recipes that are this awesomely easy!!
I am so glad to hear that you liked it!!!!